Well water

[Veronica Surratt]

Hi everyone
I have a question on freshwater aquariums. My tap water comes from a well not city water, so no chlorine. I have had a 35 gal before and found I have problems in keeping the ph stable. Also before I didn't know about the nitrogen cycle. I've read all about the cycle now. I'm getting ready to jump from a 10gal back up to a larger tank (36). Any difference in my using of well water and getting it conditioned for my new aquarium? Thanks in advance

 

[Back in the fold]

This could be an informative discussion you've initiated. I am not for sure positive about this but I think that a lot of well water tends to be heavily mineralized and quite hard. If I were you I would have it tested by someone who is very knowledgeable and proceed from there. I am very interested to hear from others on this subject.

 

[seangee]

Lets start with the basics. Do you know the pH, GH and KH of your well water?
Do you drink the well water? Do you need to filter the well water for drinking?

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

In addition to Seangee's questions, get the water tested for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and anything else you can. Sometimes ground water can become contaminated with chemicals or agricultural runoff.

As for using well water for aquariums. If the water is safe and has a suitable pH, GH and KH for the fish you keep, it is fine as long as it is free of other contaminants.

You should aerate well water for 24 hours before using it in an aquarium because it can become stagnant and have no oxygen in it. Aerating the water for 24 hours will allow the dissolved gasses to get back to normal levels.​

---------------------------
If you have a 10 gallon tank that is already running and has an established biological filter, you can take half the filter media/ materials and put it in the new filter on the new tank and you have an instant cycled tank. This means you can set the tank up and let it run for a day, then add the old filter media and fish and away you go. No need to cycle the new tank.

 

[Veronica Surratt]

Lets start with the basics. Do you know the pH, GH and KH of your well water?
Do you drink the well water? Do you need to filter the well water for drinking?

I don't have the answer to the first question. Yes we drink, cook, and bathe with it. I'm sure there is some type of filter either at the end of the draw pipe or near the pump or tank. Our landlord maintains it. We don't have any type of filter in our house. I do know that it's over eighty foot down and that it taps a natural underground spring. It doesn't taste metallic or rusty so to speak. It leaves a blue stain if a faucet is left to drip. Tastes similar to bottle water. Never thought to have it tested before.

 

[Veronica Surratt]

Hi and welcome to the forum

In addition to Seangee's questions, get the water tested for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and anything else you can. Sometimes ground water can become contaminated with chemicals or agricultural runoff.

As for using well water for aquariums. If the water is safe and has a suitable pH, GH and KH for the fish you keep, it is fine as long as it is free of other contaminants.

You should aerate well water for 24 hours before using it in an aquarium because it can become stagnant and have no oxygen in it. Aerating the water for 24 hours will allow the dissolved gasses to get back to normal levels.​

---------------------------
If you have a 10 gallon tank that is already running and has an established biological filter, you can take half the filter media/ materials and put it in the new filter on the new tank and you have an instant cycled tank. This means you can set the tank up and let it run for a day, then add the old filter media and fish and away you go. No need to cycle the new tank.

Thank you. I had read up about the cycling. The water here shouldn't be stagnant at all there are 13 households using the well. The pump fills a 400 gal tank I believe. And we're all hooked to it. The water is safe for us. I didn't think that it wouldn't be safe for fish. I have water test strips for my aquarium. I never thought to have my tap water tested.

 

[Veronica Surratt]

This could be an informative discussion you've initiated. I am not for sure positive about this but I think that a lot of well water tends to be heavily mineralized and quite hard. If I were you I would have it tested by someone who is very knowledgeable and proceed from there. I am very interested to hear from others on this subject.

I don't think it's "hard". It doesn't take much shampoo/dish detergent to make suds. I've been told that means it's "soft" water.

 

[Veronica Surratt]

Thank you very much for your answers and questions. I'm not sure exactly where I would take a tap water sample of our well water to get tested. Maybe our local water authority. I will get it tested and let you all know the results.

 

[seangee]

Test the tap water using a test strip and post the results. That will cover everything Colin & I suggested except ammonia, although the results may not be 100% accurate. You will need an ammonia test anyway for when you do the cycle.

 

[Veronica Surratt]

Test the tap water using a test strip and post the results. That will cover everything Colin & I suggested except ammonia, although the results may not be 100% accurate. You will need an ammonia test anyway for when you do the cycle.

Oh I have ammonia strips too, I'll be sure to test it also. Thanks so much.

 

[Byron]

I have had a 35 gal before and found I have problems in keeping the ph stable.

I concur with the advice others have given, and the test results for GH, KH, pH especially will lead into your issue with pH.

These three parameters are closely linked, and the pH is directly impacted by the GH and KH. In any aquarium with fish, organics accumulate and are broken down by bacteria. This produces CO2 which in turn creates carbonic acid in the water, and the pH lowers accordingly. That is the basic biological premise we start from.

The level to which the pH will lower depends primarily upon the buffering capability of the GH/KH and the amount of CO2, and some other factors. Once we know the GH/KH/pH of the well water on its own, this process will become clearer.

The pH is also impacted by additional organics such as wood, peat, dried leaves, etc, if these form part of the aquascape. But the degree to which these might impact pH depends upon the GH/KH level. Another affecting substance that works the opposite, to raise pH, is the presence of calcareous substances such as limestone, marble, dolomite, aragonite, shells, coral, etc. The degree these affect the pH also depends upon the GH/KH and the other factors such as stocking level, feeding, plants.

One further pH fluctuation to be mentioned is the normal diurnal change. The pH will normally be at its lowest at the beginning of the daylight period, and at its highest at the end of that daylight period. Plants increase this fluctuation because they use CO2 during daylight (photosynthesis) but not during darkness when it rebuilds. This is why you need to always test pH at the approximate same time each day you test it, to get a better idea of any shift. The diurnal variation is not usually more than a few decimal points, say from 6.2 to 6.5 then back to 6.2 over a 24-hour period.

 

[Veronica Surratt]

I concur with the advice others have given, and the test results for GH, KH, pH especially will lead into your issue with pH.

These three parameters are closely linked, and the pH is directly impacted by the GH and KH. In any aquarium with fish, organics accumulate and are broken down by bacteria. This produces CO2 which in turn creates carbonic acid in the water, and the pH lowers accordingly. That is the basic biological premise we start from.

The level to which the pH will lower depends primarily upon the buffering capability of the GH/KH and the amount of CO2, and some other factors. Once we know the GH/KH/pH of the well water on its own, this process will become clearer.

The pH is also impacted by additional organics such as wood, peat, dried leaves, etc, if these form part of the aquascape. But the degree to which these might impact pH depends upon the GH/KH level. Another affecting substance that works the opposite, to raise pH, is the presence of calcareous substances such as limestone, marble, dolomite, aragonite, shells, coral, etc. The degree these affect the pH also depends upon the GH/KH and the other factors such as stocking level, feeding, plants.

One further pH fluctuation to be mentioned is the normal diurnal change. The pH will normally be at its lowest at the beginning of the daylight period, and at its highest at the end of that daylight period. Plants increase this fluctuation because they use CO2 during daylight (photosynthesis) but not during darkness when it rebuilds. This is why you need to always test pH at the approximate same time each day you test it, to get a better idea of any shift. The diurnal variation is not usually more than a few decimal points, say from 6.2 to 6.5 then back to 6.2 over a 24-hour period.

This was very informative. Thank you so much. I tested my water from tap and found that it's very soft. The first pic is of tap water strip. The second is from tank.

 

[Veronica Surratt]

This was very informative. Thank you so much. I tested my water from tap and found that it's very soft. The first pic is of tap water strip. The second is from tank.

I just stocked up yesterday evening also. I am out of ammonia test. It will be tomorrow evening before I can test it again.

 

[Veronica Surratt]

I just stocked up yesterday evening also. I am out of ammonia test. It will be tomorrow evening before I can test it again.

I also plan on getting the better test kit as soon as I can afford it, but all I have are strips right now...

 

[Byron]

The GH and KH test results are what I was expecting. As I explained in post #11 the normal breakdown of organics will lower the pH. Leave it alone. It will stabilize and be no problem. Do the regular (once weekly) partial water change of 50-60% volume.

As this is well water, it might have been harder if it flows over mineralized rock, and if it does then you might have a softener. From your previous post that you do not have any "filter" probably not, but you should be certain that there is no water softener anywhere. These can be bad for fish.